Dr Alison McIntosh is the Chair of Taree Universities Campus and a passionate advocate for regional education. With a professional journey spanning corporate computing in Brisbane and Sydney, through to earning her PhD via distance education, Alison’s career has been defined by persistence and a meticulous attention to detail.

Janine Roberts is a community historian and educator who channels her lifelong passion for local and family history into her work with MidCoast Stories. With a background in teaching and university education, Janine brings determination, adaptability, and an insatiable drive for knowledge to everything she does.

Jessica Loughland is a postdoctoral researcher investigating the human immune response to malaria—an infectious disease that disproportionately impacts the world’s most vulnerable. Driven by integrity and curiosity, Jessica has built a career around critical thinking, rigorous research, and big-picture questions.

Mitch Rudge is a Natural Capital Data Scientist with Bush Heritage Australia, where he blends ecological science and drone technology to monitor and improve land conditions. Mitch has developed a unique focus on using data for good—mapping landscapes and informing sustainable practices.

Dr Wendy Wright is a poet, translator, and academic whose life journey—from Tokyo to Oxford—has been shaped by a fierce passion for storytelling and the arts. Her work spans Japanese literary translation, creative writing, and intercultural education.